The U.S. Navy recently placed an order with Boeing for the procurement of 12 low-rate initial production Infrared Search and Track (IRST) systems. Intended for the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the IRST system provides "see first, strike first" capability. It was developed and integrated by Boeing and Lockheed Martin and initally received approval from the U.S. Navy to enter low-rate initial production in January 2015.

The IRST system consists of Lockheed Martin’s IRST21 sensor that can detect targets over long distances and operates in environments where radar isn’t an option. (Photo by Lockheed Martin)

The IRST system consists of Lockheed Martin’s IRST21™ sensor, the GE Aviation FPU-13 Fuel Tank Assembly and the Meggitt Defense Industry Environmental Control unit. The system demonstrated its production readiness through a series of extensive assessments and reviews, including flight tests.

IRST is expected to deploy on the F/A-18 Super Hornet in 2017.

The crew of the F/A-18 Super Hornet carrying the Navy’s Infrared Search and Track (IRST), a long-wave infrared sensor system that searches for and detects heat sources within its field of regard, inspects the aircraft Feb. 11 before the maiden flight with the pod at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

IRST21 is the next generation of Lockheed Martin’s legacy IRST sensor system, which accumulated more than 300,000 flight hours on the U.S. Navy’s F-14 and international F-15 platforms. The long-range IRST21 sensor uses infrared search and track technology to detect, track and enable the Super Hornet to engage threats with air-to-air weapons.

IRST21 can be mounted in a variety of ways, including the nose section of the F/A-18E/F’s centerline fuel tank. (Photo by Lockheed Martin)

Contacted by Navy Recognition, a Boeing Defense spokesperson explained that "the IRST Pod carries 330 gal of fuel in the fuel tank assembly". This means that the pod still acts as an external fuel tank and the IRST feature does not sacrifices range much.